CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSSCorporal Kashuba served with the Photo-Litho unit of the Intelligence Section, 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal. On the night of 12 August 1942, he joined a patrol led by Colonel Frank Goettge, intending to investigate reports of a surrendering Japanese encampment.
The patrol was ambushed, isolated on its beachhead, and all but annihilated. Among those who did not return was Corporal Kashuba. Initially listed as missing in action, he was declared dead as of 14 August 1943.

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7 Replies to “Joseph F. Kashuba, Jr.”

Thank you for all the hard work you are putting into this site. I have been looking for biographical information regarding the members of the Goettge Patrol for several years. In magazine articles and other websites the Colonel’s name was always mentioned of course, but there was never any mention of the other members of the Patrol. Just to let you know, the link to Aaron Gelzer keeps showing the article on Joseph Kashuba. Thanks again.

David – thank you for the note and for the correction. I figured each of these men suffered as much if not more than the Colonel, and it’s a shame that their names are often forgotten. I wish I could have found more pictures of them, but so it goes. If you’re looking for anything in particular in your research, let me know and I’ll be happy to help out.

The book “Hell in the Pacific” by Jim McEnery (a veteran of K/3/5th Marines) mentions the aftermath of the patrol in horrifying detail, as the author was a member of one of the patrols that found the butchered remains of the patrol several days later. McEnery describes how his patrol was ordered not to bother the remains but instead mark the location for a burial detail to follow. From his account it seems extremely unlikely that any of their remains will ever be recovered, meaning that their names are all we will have to remember.

I just found this web site and I am very impressed with your information on the Goettge Patrol. I have done extensive research on the patrol and conducted detailed interviews with all three survivors (now deceased) as well as interviewing many officers and men of the 5th Marines and division HQ. Also, I interviewed USN officers and men too. I have travelled several times to the site of the battle (Matanikau) and wrote an in depth article on all of this for Naval History Magazine. I participated on an unsuccesful military recovery mission that searched for the remains on Guadalcanal. I also knew Stan Jersey and gave him quite a bit of my information for his book. It still amazes me to see new information surface on the patrol. My intent is to expand my article into a short book, but I need a few more pieces to complete the puzzle.

Yes, it appears he was born in Duryea, PA. (It’s been a while since I created this page and I haven’t updated for some time.) Evidently he went by “Frank Kashuba” to distinguish himself from his father, Joseph Senior.

At some point before the war, the Kashubas moved to Meshoppen, Pennsylvania; Joseph enlisted from Wilkes-Barre. However, on casualty reports he is listed as a resident of Washington, D. C. This is because his wife (whom he married in May 1942, just before going overseas) was living there, at 1915 K Street NW.